Friction clutch with lever assembly



y 1954 R. s. ROOT FRICTION CLUTCH WITH LEVER ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. '7, 1950 IAIIVENTORI Poberf '5. Root AfTOK/VEYJ.

Patented July 6, 195 4 FRICTION CLUTCH WITH LEVER ASSEMBLY Robert S. Root, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Lipe- Rollway Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 7, 1950, Serial No. 199,594

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to friction clutches of the type adapted for use in motor vehicles, which clutches include driving and driven members, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member and pressing against one side of the driven The invention consists in the novel features member to compress the driven member between and in the combinations and constructions hereit and the driving member, a throw-out mechainafter set forth and claimed.

nism which includes a throw-out sleeve or col- In describing this invention, reference is had lar and radial motion transmitting and multiplyto the accompanying drawings in which like ing levers between the throw-out collar and the characters designate corresponding parts in all pressure ring and slidably pressing on the presthe views.

sure ring, and also slidably engaging a fulcrum Figure 1 is a fragmentary radial sectional view on the back plate of the clutch construction, and of a clutch embodying this invention.

clutch spring means loaded to normally act Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation, partthrough the levers on the throw-out collar to ly broken away, of an assembly of levers and the hold the clutch engaged. The levers are usually throw-out sleeve or collar. spatulate in form and are located in an annular Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the series side by side although insofar as this inassembly of the annular coupling device of the vention is concerned it is not necessary that the throw-out sleeve or collar in which device the levers touch each other along their side edges. inner ends of the levers are anchored.

One of the objects of the invention is means i designates the driving member of the clutch anchoring the levers at their inner ends to the which is usually the flywheel of the internal comthrow-out collar so that the levers are held by bustion engine of the vehicle. the h rins m n from l t ral swin ing or 2 is the pressure ring rotatable with the drivpivotal movement, thusavoiding swinging of the 5 ing member I, and 3 the back plate bolted to and levers in either direction circumferentially and rotatable with the driving member. 7 hence, avoiding lateral displacement of the levers e is the driven member which extends betwee a d tingling rattling thereof during e Ope the pressure ring 2 and an opposing surface at rat of t Clutch; especially e th 116 the bottom of a recess in the driving member or i d se a d r flywheel The driven member t is a disk. or

More specifically,v it has for its object an plate mounted on a hub 5 which is splined on anchoring means whereby y lateral or cirthe clutch shaft which is mounted in axial cumferential pivotal movement of the levers is alinement with the driving member. The hub neutralized and the levers held in almost exact is splined on the clutch shaft to havea slight radial lines. I shifting movement axially.

More specifically, it has for its object anchor- 6 designates an annular series of motion transing members between the inner ends of the levers mitting and multiplying levers extending radialand pivotally connecting the levers at their inner 1y relatively to the throw-out collar 7 which is ends, the anchoring means being located at the shiftable axially of the clutch shaft by the usual opposite side edges of each lever on opposite sides 40 throw-out lever or pedal. The levers are spatuof the radial medial line of the lever and being late in form. common to the adjacent levers on opposite sides The levers are anchored at their inner ends in of each lever so that any outward throw under a channel shaped coupling device 8 forming part the centrifugal force of each lever is balanced of the throw-out sleeve i and slidably engage by the centrifugal force of the adjacent levers. toward their outer ends on a fulcrum 9 on the Heretofore, each lever has been anchored to the rear side of the pressure ring 2, and also slidathrow-out collar by a single ball carried in a bly engage a fulcrum at it on a fulcrum ring H socket in the inner end of each lever, the ball supported from the back plate. As here shown, being located in the radial medial line of the the ring H is adjustable axially of the back lever and the balls being individual to the levers 5 plate, as by screws l2, to take up wear on the so that the levers are free to have a lateral swingfriction faces of the clutch. ing or chucking movement in a circumferential The spring'means of the clutch is here shown direction. This movement sometimes results in as a coiled conical spring l3 pressing at its larger a lateral or circumferential displacement of the end against the outer face of the back plate and levers relatively to each other, and also results at its smaller or rear end It against a seat on an annular flange [5 at the rear end of the throw-out sleeve 1. The levers 6 extend into the channel of the coupling 3 and are anchored therein. It is the anchoring means and its arrangement that constitutes the subject matter of this invention.

The anchoring means comprises members in terposed between the inner ends of the levers and common to adjacent levers and located on opposite sides of the radial medial lines of the levers. As here shown, the anchoring means comprises balls 16 held in sockets l1 formed partly in the side edges of each lever on opposite sides of the radial medial line of the lever and also seated partly in similar sockets in the adjacent levers so that each lever and the adjacent levers have balls in common. The balls thus pivotally permit the levers to move in their normal operation and also to pivotally connect each lever and the adjacent levers. Hence, the centrifugal force on any one lever tending to tilt the lever circumferentially is transferred to the adjacent lever radially inward so that the levers themselves are held exactly in a radial line and do not tilt laterally or circumferentially in one direction or the other. As any force tending to tilt the levers out of radial line would tend to move one side of the lever up about one of the balls and the other side edge downward, the downward movement would be opposed and balanced by the other ball and the adjacent lever. The only direction the levers can shift is in an exact radial line midway between the balls. Hence, there is no rattling of the levers and hence, the outer end edges of the levers are always held in a circumferential line and the corners of the levers do not dig into any surface, as the inner face of the annular flange i8 here shown as provided on the rear side of the pressure ring and also as the levers are held in a radia1 line, the levers do not shift, and grooves do not become worn therein by the fulcrum 9 or H]. Also, the levers may be spaced farther apart at their side edges than at the inner ends of the levers where the balls are located. Also, because of the location of the balls relatively to the levers and the balls being common to adjacent levers, radial shifting of the levers is also prevented.

What I claim is:

1. A friction clutch of the class described combers being interposed respectively between said prising driving and driven members, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member, the driven member extending between the pressure ring and the driving member, a back plate rotatable with the driving member, throW-out mechanism comprising a throw-out collar and radial levers operated thereby slidably pressing on the pressure ring and slidably fulcrumed on a fulcrum carried by the back plate, and clutch spring means acting on the throw-out collar and loaded to engage the clutch; the clutch construction being characterized by the clutch levers being pivotally anchored at their inner ends against radial displacement to the throw-out collar by members between the levers, the anchoring members comprising balls between the levers and located between the side edges at the inner end of each lever and the side edges of adjacent levers, said balls being seated in sockets formed partly in each lever and the adjacent levers and on opposite sides of the radial medial lines of the levers.

2. A friction clutch of the class described comprising driving and driven members, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member, the driven member extending between the pressure ring and the driving member, a back plate rotatable with the driving member, throw-out mechanism comprising a throw-out collar and radial levers operated thereby slidably pressing on the pressure ring and slidably fulcrumed on a fulcrum carried by the back plate, and clutch spring means acting on the throw-out collar and loaded to engage the clutch; the clutch construction be- A ing characterized by the levers being formed with notches in their opposite side edges in proximity to the inner ends thereof, an annular series of anchoring members interlocked with said throwout collar for pivotally connecting the inner end of each lever to said collar, said anchoring memlevers and positioned in the notches thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,064,500 Spase Dec. 15, 1936 2,117,482 Klix May 17, 1938 

